Posted on January, 31, 2025 at 10:16 am
In a significant move to tackle declining soil fertility and boost agricultural productivity, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Karlo) has embarked on an ambitious three-year project to develop comprehensive digital soil fertility maps across the country.
The National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project, funded by the World Bank, aims to analyse over 77,000 soil samples from 45 counties by 2027, excluding the urban centres of Nairobi and Mombasa. This initiative comes at a crucial time when Kenya faces mounting challenges in food security due to deteriorating soil health.
Recent studies by Karlo scientists have revealed alarming trends in soil degradation across Kenya's agricultural regions. In 2023, researchers found that acidity levels in medium and high rainfall regions had reached a critical 63 per cent, significantly impacting farmers' ability to maintain productive yields. This deterioration in soil health threatens the country's food security and agricultural sustainability.
"The state of our soils has become a serious impediment to achieving high yields in areas with agricultural potential," explains Dr Daniel Gikaara, deputy director of Karlo's Horticulture Research Institute.
"Many farms lack essential plant nutrients critical for production, leading to declining yields despite having suitable climatic conditions."
Multiple factors have contributed to this soil crisis. Continuous cropping without adequate nutrient replenishment, population pressure leading to intensive farming, and improper fertiliser application have all played significant roles in depleting soil fertility. Furthermore, farmers' limited access to soil testing services has resulted in uninformed farming practices, often exacerbating the problem.
The new digital mapping project represents a technological leap forward in addressing these challenges. Under the initiative, Karlo will deploy trained agripreneurs in every ward across the 45 counties to collect soil samples and facilitate testing at the organization’s laboratories. These field officers will utilise modern mobile applications - Maps.Me and KOBO Collect - to navigate sampling points and input data efficiently.
"Our agripreneurs will serve as crucial links between farmers and agricultural experts," says Dr Gikaara, adding: "They will not only collect soil samples but also advise farmers on suitable crops and inputs based on scientific analysis of their soil conditions."
To enhance the project's efficiency, Karlo plans to install 12 Mid Infra-Red machines strategically across their centers nationwide. These advanced soil testing devices will significantly reduce analysis time from the current two weeks to between two and four days. This improvement marks a substantial advancement from the previous near-infrared technology, which often produced inconsistent results due to limited soil database coverage.
Peter Muchiri, Murang'a County's director of Agriculture, emphasises the project's potential impact on local farming communities. "Despite Murang'a being an agricultural county, many farms produce meagre yields due to depleted soil nutrients. Farmers still use traditional methods of farming, but this project will provide scientific guidance on crop selection and input usage specific to their soil conditions."
The initiative also incorporates digital technology to ensure efficient information dissemination. Farmers will be registered with their mobile phone numbers, enabling them to receive soil test results and recommendations directly via SMS. This digital approach aims to bridge the information gap that has historically hindered effective soil management practices.
The timing of this project is crucial as agricultural researchers have warned of potential drastic food production declines in coming years. The high soil acidity levels, particularly in medium and high rainfall regions, pose a significant threat to food security. This situation is further complicated by farmers' limited access to soil testing services and low application of lime to neutralise acid soils.
"The digital soil maps will create a comprehensive national soil spectral library," explains Dr Gikaara.
"This resource will enable more accurate and uniform soil analysis results across the country, helping farmers make informed decisions about crop selection and soil management."
In Murang'a County alone, 245 agripreneurs have been recruited and are undergoing training to implement the project. This level of local engagement demonstrates the project's commitment to building capacity at the grassroots level while ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
The project's implications for Kenya's food security are significant. By providing farmers with accurate soil fertility information and specific recommendations for their lands, the initiative aims to optimise agricultural inputs and improve crop yields. This scientific approach to farming could help reverse the trend of declining soil fertility and enhance food production across the country.
The success of this project could serve as a model for other African nations facing similar challenges in soil health and agricultural productivity. As climate change and population growth continue to put pressure on agricultural systems, such innovative approaches to soil management become increasingly crucial for ensuring food security and sustainable farming practices.
As Kenya moves forward with this digital transformation in agriculture, the project's success will largely depend on farmer adoption rates and the effective implementation of recommended practices. However, with proper support and engagement from all stakeholders, this initiative represents a significant step toward modernising Kenya's agricultural sector and securing its food future.
Source: Nation